[She manages to summon a bit of lightness for the agreement, but... she truly did pray that was the case, more than almost anything else since coming to this place. She told herself it had to be, time had stopped the last time she'd left her world, after all, and so surely it would this time. .... It had to, because the idea of Komatsu growing up without her and how devastated Gonta would feel to be helpless to protect her, the worries over whether her sister-in-law could nurse her daughter or who would take take care of her Gonta's widowed aunt...
No. Time had to be stopped.]
Maybe our parents could be friends, too, then. That's my mother's line.
[Like parents, like child? Helpfully, she moves find a few things she'd taken from the apartment the Embassy had initially tried to appoint her, gathering up two glasses and placemats from an as-of-yet not organized soon-to-be kitchen corner, placing them on the table before she lumbers into the peculiar cross between sit and lay that made jinba more of a height for human tables. She can't help but sniff the dishes while murmuring words of thanks, her expression softening, comforted by familiar smells and the kindness he showed bringing them.]
Mmm... I think so. The government people gave me one of the apartments at first, but I didn't like it very much... but, oh, I met another jinba! Well, a "centaur", from Greek, [Greece, honey], and he convinced them to let us stay out here instead... It's not too far from you, is it?
[A question for his comfort, but also because... she wants to keep visiting. Meeting a friend from Lunatia here... That's precious.]
[ he knows it's difficult to run on blind faith. being a fish out of water twice leaves so much room for doubt, for the creeping what ifs to curl around hearts already bruised by homesickness. he's often wondered the same of his own flesh and blood - if he was away, would his little brothers grow up into men without him? would they have enough money to get by, or remember his advice? between them, they're the worries of an ordinary soul trapped in an extraordinary situation. but ryuu is nothing if not stalwart even in the face of the quieter tragedies. sometimes it just takes patience and a kind hand. ]
I think our parents would have gotten along well. So long as nobody minds seasongs and tall tales, that is.
[ he smiles a bit as he sets the dish in front of konoha alongside the pair of disposable chopsticks in a paper sleeve. uncapping the top of the thermos next, he pours out two cups of tea. it's still plenty hot and brewed nicely, the steam fragrant. with that all done, he sits, though not without giving his chair a scoot over closer to konoha. ]
That should do it. I hope it all tastes okay! I didn't have much time to look for the exact things I would have used back home, but I think it came out really close.
[ he sets his arm on the table to wrap a hand around his own teacup, enjoying the warmth of it while he looks about the barn. ]
This isn't too far! Especially not too far to visit with you. I was thinking... maybe I could help you fix this place up some more, you know?
[Being a fish out of water is precisely why she was so grateful to see him again here, even if she wished neither of them had to do so. Despite the vast differences in the years they lived, the bodies they occupied... Ryuunosuke was... normal, to her. Just these little comments they trade, about his his father's sea songs, about cooking...
It makes her eyes water up again, with happy tears this time, nodding eagerly even as she claps her hands together in thanks for the food, expressing her gratitude by beginning to dig in enthusiastically, using her hand to hide her mouth and cheeks still a bit full when she says,]
It's really good...
[She'd probably say it even if it weren't, but it really is good, especially with the scramble in a new world for ingredients that made sense. She knows, she's been trying to assemble some reliable things for the kitchen even though it wasn't set up yet. The barn is still... well, looking mostly like a barn, complete with some haybales in one corner that, judging by blankets and centaur-shaped indents, seem to be serving as bedding. But the floors and walls are freshly scrubbed, a few bits of furniture assembled and ready to be arranged, a tangle of cords in a sad and very confusing pile next to what looks like a generator? Look, she's working on it.
And his offer makes her smile, reaching for her tea to sip, both stomachs rumbling a little now that she had tempted them with some food.]
I'd like that...
[She couldn't even muster trying to tell him he didn't need to offer, because, well. She could use some help, why not, and more than that... she valued the company. Her fellow centaur that had left the second hay indent was a very capable person, but... she knows Ryuunosuke. And also... he's from a more future world than either of them, that, too.]
The space is really nice, it's just a bit old... I think it could be really nice with a bit of effort. And someone smarter than me about cords.
[ catching sight of the unshed tears returning to her eyes, he smiles. a little wanly, but sincere. this time, he was lucky... not everyone remembered him, and that cut deep, for someone whose only wish was to be seen and heard, for the world to know his name as part of the group he loved. but he didn't come alone this time, and having the two closest to him nearby to bolster his heart gives him the conviction to do things like this. to be stripped of that, of a life beyond these worlds - it aches to see, and he knows that what he'd feeling must be a drop in comparison to what konoha feels. it doesn't feel right to not offer everything in his power, even if his power in this context is limited.
food is a good way to assuage some immediate discomforts, but his expression pulls even warmer at the agreement to let him help. ]
It is a cute space, isn't it? I may not look it, but I really enjoy this style of decorating!
[ giving his fingers a gentle drum on the table, he glances about. ]
A kitchen with lots of sunlight and fresh air... maybe a garden. [ a far cry from a farmstead, a balm versus a tourniquet, but he hopes these little things will be encouraging enough. ] I'm usually not on the tech end of things like cords, but I'm sure I can manage.
[She's not going to lie. Ryuunosuke remembering her is the most comforting thing about this moment, but the food is also helping. More like food made by Ryuunosuke is helping, but, still... food.]
Mmm... It is, and it's much better suited for us than the apartment buildings.
[Even the ones that had been spacious inside, there was usually some sort of stairs or elevator or hallway somewhere to deal with... not to mention the lack of natural sunlight and cold walls and... well, it just really wasn't the sort of life she was used to. For her first few months in Lunatia she'd dealt with it, but... once her husband had arrived and they'd been able to afford leasing the farmstead... then she'd gotten used to living on Mt. Tsurugi...
She didn't want to go back to that sort of thing.]
Ehe, any kind of "better than me" at cords would be helpful... and then there's setting up the shelves, the wash area outside, repainting in here, setting up some better bedding... we need some blankets if the winter here is going to be longer...
[It might be a balm and not a tourniquet, but the balm still helped. As they talk, her posture relaxes bit by bit, gratefully sinking back into the comfortable familiarity of their interactions in Lunatia, still eating steadily throughout. ... She had been hungry.]
[ it makes him all the happier to watch the food disappear as they chat - mission success. ]
I'd help out around my hometown doing things like this when I was younger, so it shouldn't be too hard! If you have a list of things you might need, I can keep an eye out when I'm in the city...
[ and in no time, he's sure they can get the old barn looking right as rain. luckily he's never minded putting in some of his muscle and time for a good cause. especially not where a friend is concerned. plus, as helpful as essentially free housing is, it's another start over in another new place... a third time, if he counts his move to tokyo. at one was of his choosing. but surmalok doesn't seem to be eating away at his adaptability any more than lunatia did - remembrance is going an incredibly long way. ]
I'm a bit more used to apartment living, but even the basic units only go so far, you know?
[ he likes a much more prepared kitchen. and more comfy beds. ]
[And then she can work on her handwriting? Her reading, while still elementary, had improved hand over fist since she'd arrived in Lunatia, but actual penmanship... well. Ryuunosuke's youngest brother probably had her beat unless she spends an hour on it. That's fine! Practice makes perfect!
Moving a hand to cover her mouth so that she can speak up a bit while still... absolutely devouring the meal now that she's perked up more, she can't help but be curious- even if it was harder for her to visit the apartments, she sometimes did, so!]
[ imagine how heartwarming it'll be for him to receive such a list. he's ready.
noting the improvement in the overall air since she's started eating, ryuu finally lifts his tea to take a thoughtful sip. that's much better. it doesn't cure all but it sure does make things go down a little smoother. with a tap of the cup against his lip, he gazes up at the rafters of the barn with a long hum. ]
A basic kitchen is a really helpful thing to be given, but I love to cook, so I always want to add more things! Even back in Lunatia, I felt like there wasn't much I could do in the event that something really crazy happened... but preparing food for the people in my building went a long way.
[ just ordinary people things! his expression warms as he continues. ]
I won't be living alone this time because my other group members are here, so a bigger space with more comforts is necessary.
[She is going to write it so good!!! ... And she believed in her mother's saying, okay, that woman had been right when she'd said eating helped people solve problems. Cooking, kitchen plans... it was something that would keep her brain occupied, allow her to keep trying to outrun the fears and worries that came from being separated from her family and her world.
But her ordinary people (ordinary jinba) thoughts skid to a halt a moment, because-]
- Eh? The people from your...
[She's so bad at remembering certain modern people concepts and slang that she didn't have a point of similar reference for... like "idols"... hold on... what's the word...]
They are! Gaku and Tenn... somehow, we all ended up here this time.
[ it's left his heart considerably lighter than if he arrived on the other side of this dimension all alone again, but it's also hard to celebrate when he knows he got lucky - for some, like konoha, that wasn't the case. but he's honest in his relief, the love and closeness present in his voice. ]
It means we can continue on with our activities as three still. I'll bring them by and introduce you sometime... I bet you'd love Gaku. If I told him about wanting to fix this place up, he'd want to help out too!
[It seemed that this time, he was the lucky one. And as jealous as she was, to hear of others coming to this place with people they knew, like she'd been fortunate enough to in Lunatia... It's Ryuunosuke, she's so glad for him at the same time.]
I'd love to meet them...
[She finally makes sure that her mouth isn't full to smile properly, to reach over and lay a hand over one of his, squeezing gently. She might have heard some about his work in Lunatia, as difficult as it was for her to imagine the idol industry of modern times, but-]
How long have you all been working together?
[She'd much rather hear that, than dwell on her losses.]
[ little gestures like that are ones that he loves. he responds in kind, bringing his free palm to cover hers and sandwich her hand between his. his hands are warm and dry, a little rougher than one might expect of someone who's tasted stardom - but he still grew up on the sea. ]
It'll be four years soon. It sounds so short when I put it like that, but I feel like I've known them all my life.
[This is why Konoha was glad that, if they had to do these chroma things, these manna things... at least easy affections like this counted. This came easy, gladly shared between friends when she didn't have to worry about things like the more rigid social classes of human society in her time.]
Four years is plenty enough time to become a family...
[If you ask her. After all,]
I asked me husband to take me as a wife after three months, ehe... and I guess if you're making music, then, that must take a lot of practice being in sync...
[... She thinks you'd need that for music, anyway. She's used to practice for festival songs, anyway, and that was only a few times a year.]
Three months! [ not a judgment, he honestly sounds impressed... ] It must be true that you know when you meet the right one!
[ if he's being honest, as much as he's warmed up to the concept of generating chroma or manna, he still prefers this. easy intimacy that suits his casual nature, the way he doesn't hesitate to reach out. thoughtfully swiping his thumb over the back of her hand, he gazes at the comfortable overlay.
his heart has never been closed off, so the emotions that flow through the manna are just as vivid: he adores them. ]
There were a lot of things that took practice for us, but some things came really easily. We aligned so naturally that I don't think I would have chosen anyone else to sing or dance with.
I know it's a different thing, but I think, thanks to that... synchrony is something I can view as important.
Yeah... I almost messed it up, but. I'm glad I asked.
[To think she'd almost kept silent and let him go.
When it came to the quickness, though... Konoha hadn't actually thought it was too odd herself until coming to Lunatia and being told that many of the people from the more "modern" worlds thought that was too fast, seeing as many marriages in her time were arranged. But his comment just makes her laugh a little, squeezing his fingers as she nuzzles a bit unconsciously into her own shoulder, lacking her husband's withers to lean against.]
If your group is here, are you going to be doing those show things? Like the, um... what was their name like the BTS... the BTSB people?
[ when your bravery lands you a wholeass husband... powerful. ]
That's not the first time I've heard that comparison! [ incredibly ] Even though I'm unfamiliar, haha. But we're going to aim to have live shows! I love performing too much to let it go. We'll have to go from the bottom up again...
[ he doesn't look daunted by the task though. third time's the charm? ]
I'll just find other work in the city until we can get off the ground here.
[She's sorry, that weird singing group from Amegahara is her only real education on idol groups... What had it been... Prismagram girl... ? ♫♪]
Ryuunosuke is a hard worker though, so I'm sure your friends must be, too, right? I bet you can do it.
[She doesn't have any doubt, actually, even if she's completely ignorant of what kind of things go on behind the scenes to make a production like that come together. (What do you mean you don't just stand on the street and perform and people throw money at you?)]
I'd offer you a job myself, but I'm not a farmstead wife anymore, am I, aha...
[Actually, she... really misses that. Not that she'd chose it ever over being where she actually belonged, on Mt. Tsurugi and not the little farm in Lunatia named after it, but. It had been nice, to be able to live somewhere that looked like she was used to homes looking, to work the land and be able to keep somewhat apart and safe from the more confusing city, answering to little and, thanks to her husband's presence and their chroma fed crops, being in financial position to help others.
... Actually she hadn't thought about that. She really hopes hand-holding manna has a decent conversion rate to buy groceries.]
[ technically they probably could do that, but you know...
he has to aim a little higher. ]
It's okay. We've had to make do before, we can do it again. I'm not afraid of a little hard work.
[ it seems he's better suited towards it, really. at the mention of the farmstead, ryuu does ease back in his seat somewhat, contemplative. someone's ability to perform hard work and pick up the pieces on new land doesn't mean that the process isn't bereft of its own problems, its own share of grief. hands still cupped, ryuu flicks a glance upwards to catch konoha's eyes. ]
Do you think you'll want to try over here? For something similar.
[She might now know the direction one has to take an idol group, but... he has to, and he's determined, so how could it fail? Besides, the music here in this place was foreign sounding to her ears, which meant that maybe the natives liked his kind of music!
At the question, though... the smile of faith in his abilities falters a little, the shared synchrony bond betraying the little stab of painful reminder. Doing something like that here, recreating the Tsurugi Farmstead... her fingers curl a bit tighter on his, smile staying on through a little tremble.]
I loved having a place of our own like that, even though we were stuck in Lunatia, but... You know, it was actually... Gonta's idea to do it, instead of just working on the Prismal farms. He wanted to give me a home. Be a provider.
[Back before she realized, truly realized, that being in that world had rendered her barren, he had even thrown himself into its construction precisely because their family was surely soon to grow. How ignorant she'd been, then. Now that she's had her daughter... it's even more painful to imagine having never had the chance to hold her.]
Without him... I don't know.
[As much as she cared for the few people here who remembered Lunatia as she did, as much as she appreciated the solidarity her new "roommate" Chiron offered her, someone else of her kind (sort of) to make her feel less of a sore thumb amongst human-shaped people... None of them were Gonta, and she isn't sure she could ever replicate the feeling of safety and warmth the farmstead he'd striven to build for her had offered, a sanctuary amidst the chaos of technology and magic that alienated them both.
Her eyes drop downwards a moment, her voice going a bit quiet with the admission, afraid of how selfish or hopelessly besotted it might sound... and of letting herself slip on her commitment to try and be positive, to look forward.]
[ though he'd asked in an attempt to figure out if there was anything she would want to do, he fast realizes that it's a far from comforting venture to think about - what feels like a pattering of sadness against the walls of his heart must surely be torrential in hers. so it was her husband's idea... ]
Oh, Konoha...
[ gently, he pulls his hands free. it makes it easier to quietly push up from his seat and round the bit of table between them to open his arms and envelop her in a hug. he's tall, and she's seated - it's the only thing he can think to do in the absence of the ability to send her back home, or at least let her see her family. back in tokyo, he'd needed to abandon some of his preference for tactile comfort as he'd been molded into a star, into the image of someone untouchable... yet this is the part of him that will always be true to himself and the people around him.
he squeezes a little at first, the reestablished synchrony calm and warm, enough of a safe harbor to break on. ]
You've been trying to smile this whole time while feeling that way, haven't you?
[Konoha had done quite well for herself not crying when Ryuunosuke had first arrived, just in a burst of emotion over seeing him again, let alone the reminder of their time in Lunatia, how much better it had been for her there than here in Sumerlok, where she has arrived alone.
His hand withdraws, and her fingers feel empty without someone to hold, but then he's there again, and though at first she instinctively winces a bit inwards, guarding a tender chest that has grown achier each day she's been separated from her child... the comfort of an embrace is something she's willing to risk an embarrassing faux pas for, and in the end she reverses course to instead slip into the hold he offers with a half-swallowed choke of emotion, clinging tight to the back of his shirt and burrowing her face against his shoulder.
She's not going to cry, though. Because she did have to smile, if she didn't-]
I waited so long for Komatsu to be born and now I'm not- I'm not with her...
[Even if Lunatia had given her the hope that time might be stopped back home in her absence, it wasn't enough to keep her from longing, from waking up each morning and rolling over to reach for her daughter only to remember that she wasn't there. From worrying over what could be happening if time hadn't stopped. Isn't enough to keep the tears away when he's offering her the warm, comforting pulse of synchrony, tearing down her attempt at a brave front to reveal the worries that have been consuming her since she'd started to accept their stay in this new same-but-different world.]
And this place- It's... They want us to touch again, and what if things...
[Things. Of all the gembonded here, Ryuunosuke would know what she meant and spare her having to say it aloud.]
What if things happen again like in Lunatia, but Gonta isn't here to forgive me...
[ giving her the time she needs to speak what's really on her mind, ryuu's heart hurts for her. while it seems they'd both gotten a taste of home, a slip of time in between the worlds that'd rushed up to greet them, there was no guaranteeing whatever force brought them to sumarlok would behave the same way it did coming or going from lunatia. while he can take a guess, while he can hope, he has no way of truly knowing. her distress matters in a way that can't be explained away. after all, it's not as though the knowledge that time may have stopped would really cure the anxiety and the heartache - konoha is here, without her family.
still, he stays where he is, elbows loosening only let a broad palm skim konoha's back in soothing circles. synchrony like this is unconditional. ]
I've never been married, much less a parent. I don't think I could compare our situations, even though we've both ended up like this again.
[ though he does get an idea of what she's feeling, the empathy that courses through the bond of touch delving deep into the corners he's left open for the people he cares about to occupy, should they need the safe space. while there are many fantastical things he can't do, there are just as many ordinary things he can. ]
But I'd think I'd say... that no matter what, your husband would want you to do all that you could to live without regrets, even if you're apart. So that you could come home safely, with all your strength.
[ if he were a husband, a parent - wouldn't that be his first concern? that his loved one return to him healthy? ]
I know it's not the easiest thing to think about.
[ unlike this kind of manna generation, which has all the ease of breathing. ]
[He says he can't compare their situations, but Konoha shakes her head a little bit into his shoulder, denying that her pain was in any way more important or deep than his. It's part of why she felt comfortable enough to let the smile fall around him in the first place. She knew... Ryuunosuke valued family like she did. Maybe it wasn't in the form of a spouse, a child, but he had his brothers... his father...
And his shirt starts to dampen despite her intent to be strong, fingers tightening in the back of his shirt, shoulders starting to shake beneath the comforting rub of his palm.]
I know he- I know he would, but...
[But it had seemed so simple, for two simple-minded people, to promise that as long as the heart was unchanging that all would be forgiven, that they would simply return to each others' side, confess, and reclaim... But if it's just her- ? Just her, praying that time was stopped so that her sister-in-law didn't have to try to and breastfeed her daughter, or Gonta had to hunt enough does to provide milk for her? Just her, hoping her daughter wasn't growing up without her, forgetting the face of the woman that had longed for her birth more than anything?
She buries her face tighter against his shoulder, accepting his comfort, the words she knows are true... But she can't give it up so easily, trying to find some sort of explanation to encapsulate the crushing sorrow she feels even though she knows... it's better Gonta wasn't here. He hated being around theis many humans, he was less flexible with the technology and magic than she was. It's better Komatsu wasn't here, who knew what could happen to them, but- She has to have some excuse to cry.]
But- What am I supposed to do with all this milk now... Everything aches...
[ though he's prone to flustering easily at mentions of the female body, it seems her worry is just homely enough to draw a quiet laugh out of him. not at her pain, but at the enormity of the situation being boiled down to such a simple thing. plus - it's not as though family matters occupy the same pieces of his mind that his (feigned) knowledge of carnality does. his own mother fed him and all his brothers the same way. bodies do just as they're meant to, and protest when they cannot. mindfully, the flats of his thumbs draw down the divots of her shoulder blades, attempting to press and soothe away some of the aches from that angle. ]
I'm not sure whether or not the gems would have any use for it!
[ the junction of his shoulder and neck are warm at having to think about it, lame or no. at least he's kept some of his sunny attitude about him, hapless smile radiating the same kind of heat. with a little lean forward, he really goes all in on enveloping konoha in a big, soothing hug. she may be one of the only people who has some height and weight on him, but he's no slouch when it comes to being broad!
his squeeze doesn't last overly long. it's more like punctuation for what he wants to say. ]
I know I can't replace your family, or ease your thoughts about your home. But I hope you can rely on me here, Konoha. Your true feelings are just as important.
[ whether it's laughter or the need to cry - they matter. ]
[Maybe it's silly, or simple, but... her shoulders shake and a helpless little laugh hiccups out between her tears once she hears his. She knows it was an awful excuse for her tears, she did... But she's grateful he accepts it, does her the favor of making a little joke that allows her to feel better, even though... okay, no, she wasn't lying, it really did ache not to nurse, and not just in her hearts, but.
The hug provides exactly what she needs to accompany his words. She knows he's right. There's nothing she can do about being separated from her family now except keep on surviving until she meets them again. And she has to- She has to get back, because... Mikuni had said, in Lunatia, that he'd come from a time past her memory, and he had seen her with two babes in arms and another on the way. She didn't want to believe in "other timelines" or "parallel universes", so that just meant... She had to get home. Eventually. Somehow.
And she would just... If this place ended up like Lunatia, she would just have to save her apologies for later instead of being able to seek her absolution each time. Easy.]
Ryuunosuke...
[Not easy, but. He did make it easier, and the gratitude she feels in that moment bleeds easily into his name as she squeezes back on him, more than willing to ignore the wince it might cause in that moment.]
You- You have to rely on me, too... Okay?
[She couldn't replace his family, either, and maybe he was lucky enough this time around to have the other members of his music group here, but... they had a different sort of bond, a shared experience in Lunatia that they had gone through, and... She knows she can be there if he needs it. She does, so-]
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[She manages to summon a bit of lightness for the agreement, but... she truly did pray that was the case, more than almost anything else since coming to this place. She told herself it had to be, time had stopped the last time she'd left her world, after all, and so surely it would this time. .... It had to, because the idea of Komatsu growing up without her and how devastated Gonta would feel to be helpless to protect her, the worries over whether her sister-in-law could nurse her daughter or who would take take care of her Gonta's widowed aunt...
No. Time had to be stopped.]
Maybe our parents could be friends, too, then. That's my mother's line.
[Like parents, like child? Helpfully, she moves find a few things she'd taken from the apartment the Embassy had initially tried to appoint her, gathering up two glasses and placemats from an as-of-yet not organized soon-to-be kitchen corner, placing them on the table before she lumbers into the peculiar cross between sit and lay that made jinba more of a height for human tables. She can't help but sniff the dishes while murmuring words of thanks, her expression softening, comforted by familiar smells and the kindness he showed bringing them.]
Mmm... I think so. The government people gave me one of the apartments at first, but I didn't like it very much... but, oh, I met another jinba! Well, a "centaur", from Greek, [Greece, honey], and he convinced them to let us stay out here instead... It's not too far from you, is it?
[A question for his comfort, but also because... she wants to keep visiting. Meeting a friend from Lunatia here... That's precious.]
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I think our parents would have gotten along well. So long as nobody minds seasongs and tall tales, that is.
[ he smiles a bit as he sets the dish in front of konoha alongside the pair of disposable chopsticks in a paper sleeve. uncapping the top of the thermos next, he pours out two cups of tea. it's still plenty hot and brewed nicely, the steam fragrant. with that all done, he sits, though not without giving his chair a scoot over closer to konoha. ]
That should do it. I hope it all tastes okay! I didn't have much time to look for the exact things I would have used back home, but I think it came out really close.
[ he sets his arm on the table to wrap a hand around his own teacup, enjoying the warmth of it while he looks about the barn. ]
This isn't too far! Especially not too far to visit with you. I was thinking... maybe I could help you fix this place up some more, you know?
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It makes her eyes water up again, with happy tears this time, nodding eagerly even as she claps her hands together in thanks for the food, expressing her gratitude by beginning to dig in enthusiastically, using her hand to hide her mouth and cheeks still a bit full when she says,]
It's really good...
[She'd probably say it even if it weren't, but it really is good, especially with the scramble in a new world for ingredients that made sense. She knows, she's been trying to assemble some reliable things for the kitchen even though it wasn't set up yet. The barn is still... well, looking mostly like a barn, complete with some haybales in one corner that, judging by blankets and centaur-shaped indents, seem to be serving as bedding. But the floors and walls are freshly scrubbed, a few bits of furniture assembled and ready to be arranged, a tangle of cords in a sad and very confusing pile next to what looks like a generator? Look, she's working on it.
And his offer makes her smile, reaching for her tea to sip, both stomachs rumbling a little now that she had tempted them with some food.]
I'd like that...
[She couldn't even muster trying to tell him he didn't need to offer, because, well. She could use some help, why not, and more than that... she valued the company. Her fellow centaur that had left the second hay indent was a very capable person, but... she knows Ryuunosuke. And also... he's from a more future world than either of them, that, too.]
The space is really nice, it's just a bit old... I think it could be really nice with a bit of effort. And someone smarter than me about cords.
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food is a good way to assuage some immediate discomforts, but his expression pulls even warmer at the agreement to let him help. ]
It is a cute space, isn't it? I may not look it, but I really enjoy this style of decorating!
[ giving his fingers a gentle drum on the table, he glances about. ]
A kitchen with lots of sunlight and fresh air... maybe a garden. [ a far cry from a farmstead, a balm versus a tourniquet, but he hopes these little things will be encouraging enough. ] I'm usually not on the tech end of things like cords, but I'm sure I can manage.
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Mmm... It is, and it's much better suited for us than the apartment buildings.
[Even the ones that had been spacious inside, there was usually some sort of stairs or elevator or hallway somewhere to deal with... not to mention the lack of natural sunlight and cold walls and... well, it just really wasn't the sort of life she was used to. For her first few months in Lunatia she'd dealt with it, but... once her husband had arrived and they'd been able to afford leasing the farmstead... then she'd gotten used to living on Mt. Tsurugi...
She didn't want to go back to that sort of thing.]
Ehe, any kind of "better than me" at cords would be helpful... and then there's setting up the shelves, the wash area outside, repainting in here, setting up some better bedding... we need some blankets if the winter here is going to be longer...
[It might be a balm and not a tourniquet, but the balm still helped. As they talk, her posture relaxes bit by bit, gratefully sinking back into the comfortable familiarity of their interactions in Lunatia, still eating steadily throughout. ... She had been hungry.]
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I'd help out around my hometown doing things like this when I was younger, so it shouldn't be too hard! If you have a list of things you might need, I can keep an eye out when I'm in the city...
[ and in no time, he's sure they can get the old barn looking right as rain. luckily he's never minded putting in some of his muscle and time for a good cause. especially not where a friend is concerned. plus, as helpful as essentially free housing is, it's another start over in another new place... a third time, if he counts his move to tokyo. at one was of his choosing. but surmalok doesn't seem to be eating away at his adaptability any more than lunatia did - remembrance is going an incredibly long way. ]
I'm a bit more used to apartment living, but even the basic units only go so far, you know?
[ he likes a much more prepared kitchen. and more comfy beds. ]
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[And then she can work on her handwriting? Her reading, while still elementary, had improved hand over fist since she'd arrived in Lunatia, but actual penmanship... well. Ryuunosuke's youngest brother probably had her beat unless she spends an hour on it. That's fine! Practice makes perfect!
Moving a hand to cover her mouth so that she can speak up a bit while still... absolutely devouring the meal now that she's perked up more, she can't help but be curious- even if it was harder for her to visit the apartments, she sometimes did, so!]
What do you want to do to the apartment thing?
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noting the improvement in the overall air since she's started eating, ryuu finally lifts his tea to take a thoughtful sip. that's much better. it doesn't cure all but it sure does make things go down a little smoother. with a tap of the cup against his lip, he gazes up at the rafters of the barn with a long hum. ]
A basic kitchen is a really helpful thing to be given, but I love to cook, so I always want to add more things! Even back in Lunatia, I felt like there wasn't much I could do in the event that something really crazy happened... but preparing food for the people in my building went a long way.
[ just ordinary people things! his expression warms as he continues. ]
I won't be living alone this time because my other group members are here, so a bigger space with more comforts is necessary.
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But her ordinary people (ordinary jinba) thoughts skid to a halt a moment, because-]
- Eh? The people from your...
[She's so bad at remembering certain modern people concepts and slang that she didn't have a point of similar reference for... like "idols"... hold on... what's the word...]
Your singing group? They're here, too?
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[ it's left his heart considerably lighter than if he arrived on the other side of this dimension all alone again, but it's also hard to celebrate when he knows he got lucky - for some, like konoha, that wasn't the case. but he's honest in his relief, the love and closeness present in his voice. ]
It means we can continue on with our activities as three still. I'll bring them by and introduce you sometime... I bet you'd love Gaku. If I told him about wanting to fix this place up, he'd want to help out too!
[ handsome, manly, chivalrous...
ryuu also loves gaku. ]
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I'd love to meet them...
[She finally makes sure that her mouth isn't full to smile properly, to reach over and lay a hand over one of his, squeezing gently. She might have heard some about his work in Lunatia, as difficult as it was for her to imagine the idol industry of modern times, but-]
How long have you all been working together?
[She'd much rather hear that, than dwell on her losses.]
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It'll be four years soon. It sounds so short when I put it like that, but I feel like I've known them all my life.
[ bashfully, he chuckles. ]
They became a second family to me so quickly.
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Four years is plenty enough time to become a family...
[If you ask her. After all,]
I asked me husband to take me as a wife after three months, ehe... and I guess if you're making music, then, that must take a lot of practice being in sync...
[... She thinks you'd need that for music, anyway. She's used to practice for festival songs, anyway, and that was only a few times a year.]
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[ if he's being honest, as much as he's warmed up to the concept of generating chroma or manna, he still prefers this. easy intimacy that suits his casual nature, the way he doesn't hesitate to reach out. thoughtfully swiping his thumb over the back of her hand, he gazes at the comfortable overlay.
his heart has never been closed off, so the emotions that flow through the manna are just as vivid: he adores them. ]
There were a lot of things that took practice for us, but some things came really easily. We aligned so naturally that I don't think I would have chosen anyone else to sing or dance with.
I know it's a different thing, but I think, thanks to that... synchrony is something I can view as important.
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[To think she'd almost kept silent and let him go.
When it came to the quickness, though... Konoha hadn't actually thought it was too odd herself until coming to Lunatia and being told that many of the people from the more "modern" worlds thought that was too fast, seeing as many marriages in her time were arranged. But his comment just makes her laugh a little, squeezing his fingers as she nuzzles a bit unconsciously into her own shoulder, lacking her husband's withers to lean against.]
If your group is here, are you going to be doing those show things? Like the, um... what was their name like the BTS... the BTSB people?
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That's not the first time I've heard that comparison! [ incredibly ] Even though I'm unfamiliar, haha. But we're going to aim to have live shows! I love performing too much to let it go. We'll have to go from the bottom up again...
[ he doesn't look daunted by the task though. third time's the charm? ]
I'll just find other work in the city until we can get off the ground here.
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Ryuunosuke is a hard worker though, so I'm sure your friends must be, too, right? I bet you can do it.
[She doesn't have any doubt, actually, even if she's completely ignorant of what kind of things go on behind the scenes to make a production like that come together. (What do you mean you don't just stand on the street and perform and people throw money at you?)]
I'd offer you a job myself, but I'm not a farmstead wife anymore, am I, aha...
[Actually, she... really misses that. Not that she'd chose it ever over being where she actually belonged, on Mt. Tsurugi and not the little farm in Lunatia named after it, but. It had been nice, to be able to live somewhere that looked like she was used to homes looking, to work the land and be able to keep somewhat apart and safe from the more confusing city, answering to little and, thanks to her husband's presence and their chroma fed crops, being in financial position to help others.
... Actually she hadn't thought about that. She really hopes hand-holding manna has a decent conversion rate to buy groceries.]
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he has to aim a little higher. ]
It's okay. We've had to make do before, we can do it again. I'm not afraid of a little hard work.
[ it seems he's better suited towards it, really. at the mention of the farmstead, ryuu does ease back in his seat somewhat, contemplative. someone's ability to perform hard work and pick up the pieces on new land doesn't mean that the process isn't bereft of its own problems, its own share of grief. hands still cupped, ryuu flicks a glance upwards to catch konoha's eyes. ]
Do you think you'll want to try over here? For something similar.
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[She might now know the direction one has to take an idol group, but... he has to, and he's determined, so how could it fail? Besides, the music here in this place was foreign sounding to her ears, which meant that maybe the natives liked his kind of music!
At the question, though... the smile of faith in his abilities falters a little, the shared synchrony bond betraying the little stab of painful reminder. Doing something like that here, recreating the Tsurugi Farmstead... her fingers curl a bit tighter on his, smile staying on through a little tremble.]
I loved having a place of our own like that, even though we were stuck in Lunatia, but... You know, it was actually... Gonta's idea to do it, instead of just working on the Prismal farms. He wanted to give me a home. Be a provider.
[Back before she realized, truly realized, that being in that world had rendered her barren, he had even thrown himself into its construction precisely because their family was surely soon to grow. How ignorant she'd been, then. Now that she's had her daughter... it's even more painful to imagine having never had the chance to hold her.]
Without him... I don't know.
[As much as she cared for the few people here who remembered Lunatia as she did, as much as she appreciated the solidarity her new "roommate" Chiron offered her, someone else of her kind (sort of) to make her feel less of a sore thumb amongst human-shaped people... None of them were Gonta, and she isn't sure she could ever replicate the feeling of safety and warmth the farmstead he'd striven to build for her had offered, a sanctuary amidst the chaos of technology and magic that alienated them both.
Her eyes drop downwards a moment, her voice going a bit quiet with the admission, afraid of how selfish or hopelessly besotted it might sound... and of letting herself slip on her commitment to try and be positive, to look forward.]
It feels so pointless without him...
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Oh, Konoha...
[ gently, he pulls his hands free. it makes it easier to quietly push up from his seat and round the bit of table between them to open his arms and envelop her in a hug. he's tall, and she's seated - it's the only thing he can think to do in the absence of the ability to send her back home, or at least let her see her family. back in tokyo, he'd needed to abandon some of his preference for tactile comfort as he'd been molded into a star, into the image of someone untouchable... yet this is the part of him that will always be true to himself and the people around him.
he squeezes a little at first, the reestablished synchrony calm and warm, enough of a safe harbor to break on. ]
You've been trying to smile this whole time while feeling that way, haven't you?
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His hand withdraws, and her fingers feel empty without someone to hold, but then he's there again, and though at first she instinctively winces a bit inwards, guarding a tender chest that has grown achier each day she's been separated from her child... the comfort of an embrace is something she's willing to risk an embarrassing faux pas for, and in the end she reverses course to instead slip into the hold he offers with a half-swallowed choke of emotion, clinging tight to the back of his shirt and burrowing her face against his shoulder.
She's not going to cry, though. Because she did have to smile, if she didn't-]
I waited so long for Komatsu to be born and now I'm not- I'm not with her...
[Even if Lunatia had given her the hope that time might be stopped back home in her absence, it wasn't enough to keep her from longing, from waking up each morning and rolling over to reach for her daughter only to remember that she wasn't there. From worrying over what could be happening if time hadn't stopped. Isn't enough to keep the tears away when he's offering her the warm, comforting pulse of synchrony, tearing down her attempt at a brave front to reveal the worries that have been consuming her since she'd started to accept their stay in this new same-but-different world.]
And this place- It's... They want us to touch again, and what if things...
[Things. Of all the gembonded here, Ryuunosuke would know what she meant and spare her having to say it aloud.]
What if things happen again like in Lunatia, but Gonta isn't here to forgive me...
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still, he stays where he is, elbows loosening only let a broad palm skim konoha's back in soothing circles. synchrony like this is unconditional. ]
I've never been married, much less a parent. I don't think I could compare our situations, even though we've both ended up like this again.
[ though he does get an idea of what she's feeling, the empathy that courses through the bond of touch delving deep into the corners he's left open for the people he cares about to occupy, should they need the safe space. while there are many fantastical things he can't do, there are just as many ordinary things he can. ]
But I'd think I'd say... that no matter what, your husband would want you to do all that you could to live without regrets, even if you're apart. So that you could come home safely, with all your strength.
[ if he were a husband, a parent - wouldn't that be his first concern? that his loved one return to him healthy? ]
I know it's not the easiest thing to think about.
[ unlike this kind of manna generation, which has all the ease of breathing. ]
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And his shirt starts to dampen despite her intent to be strong, fingers tightening in the back of his shirt, shoulders starting to shake beneath the comforting rub of his palm.]
I know he- I know he would, but...
[But it had seemed so simple, for two simple-minded people, to promise that as long as the heart was unchanging that all would be forgiven, that they would simply return to each others' side, confess, and reclaim... But if it's just her- ? Just her, praying that time was stopped so that her sister-in-law didn't have to try to and breastfeed her daughter, or Gonta had to hunt enough does to provide milk for her? Just her, hoping her daughter wasn't growing up without her, forgetting the face of the woman that had longed for her birth more than anything?
She buries her face tighter against his shoulder, accepting his comfort, the words she knows are true... But she can't give it up so easily, trying to find some sort of explanation to encapsulate the crushing sorrow she feels even though she knows... it's better Gonta wasn't here. He hated being around theis many humans, he was less flexible with the technology and magic than she was. It's better Komatsu wasn't here, who knew what could happen to them, but- She has to have some excuse to cry.]
But- What am I supposed to do with all this milk now... Everything aches...
[... Even if it was a lame excuse.]
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I'm not sure whether or not the gems would have any use for it!
[ the junction of his shoulder and neck are warm at having to think about it, lame or no. at least he's kept some of his sunny attitude about him, hapless smile radiating the same kind of heat. with a little lean forward, he really goes all in on enveloping konoha in a big, soothing hug. she may be one of the only people who has some height and weight on him, but he's no slouch when it comes to being broad!
his squeeze doesn't last overly long. it's more like punctuation for what he wants to say. ]
I know I can't replace your family, or ease your thoughts about your home. But I hope you can rely on me here, Konoha. Your true feelings are just as important.
[ whether it's laughter or the need to cry - they matter. ]
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The hug provides exactly what she needs to accompany his words. She knows he's right. There's nothing she can do about being separated from her family now except keep on surviving until she meets them again. And she has to- She has to get back, because... Mikuni had said, in Lunatia, that he'd come from a time past her memory, and he had seen her with two babes in arms and another on the way. She didn't want to believe in "other timelines" or "parallel universes", so that just meant... She had to get home. Eventually. Somehow.
And she would just... If this place ended up like Lunatia, she would just have to save her apologies for later instead of being able to seek her absolution each time. Easy.]
Ryuunosuke...
[Not easy, but. He did make it easier, and the gratitude she feels in that moment bleeds easily into his name as she squeezes back on him, more than willing to ignore the wince it might cause in that moment.]
You- You have to rely on me, too... Okay?
[She couldn't replace his family, either, and maybe he was lucky enough this time around to have the other members of his music group here, but... they had a different sort of bond, a shared experience in Lunatia that they had gone through, and... She knows she can be there if he needs it. She does, so-]
Promise me.
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